LENNONYC

LENNONYC

Rarely seen archival footage by filmmaker Jonas Mekas captures John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s early years in Greenwich Village – surrounded by New York City staples such as Andy Warhol and Allen Ginsberg. Watch a clip from American Masters: LENNONYC. Coming to PBS November 22, 2010

LENNONYC: Beyond Broadcast

In episode six of LENNONYC: Beyond Broadcast, meet Gary Van Scyoc, the bass player for Elephant’s Memory, the band backing John Lennon and Yoko Ono during 1972 and appearing as the Plastic Ono Elephant’s Memory Band.

LENNONYC: Beyond Broadcast

In episode five of LENNONYC: Beyond Broadcast, meet Roy Cicala, who worked for almost 20 years as a producer and sound engineer at Record Plant Studios in New York City. Known to be one of the best in his field, Cicala worked with John and Yoko all through the 1970’s. He was there and can attest to all of the madness and all of the magic as John put his music to tape.

LENNONYC: Beyond Broadcast

In episode four of LENNONYC: Beyond Broadcast: After losing a friendly bet that “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” would never go to number one (it did), John Lennon played his last live show with his good friend Elton John. John and Yoko always claimed that this concert was the catalyst for their reconciliation. In fact, when Sean was born a year later they ask Elton to be his godfather.

LENNONYC: Beyond Broadcast

In episode three of LENNONYC: Beyond Broadcast, meet Jim Keltner, one of the world’s most beloved session drummers. Over the course of a decade, Keltner and Lennon established a close friendship, playing together on six of Lennon’s albums. In this interview Keltner gives us perspective on Lennon as a person and as an artist.

LENNONYC: Beyond Broadcast

In episode two of LENNONYC: Beyond Broadcast, meet Bob Gruen, who was friends with John and Yoko almost from the moment they arrived in New York City in 1971. Gruen, who has perhaps the most complete record of John’s time in New York. He took the two iconic photos of John Lennon from this period: the New York City t-shirt photo, and John in front of the Statue of Liberty.

LENNONYC: Beyond Broadcast

The first podcast for American Masters: LENNONYC features Jack Douglas talking about his long relationship with John Lennon including his time producing Double Fantasy. A highlight of the interview is Douglas’ account about a probable Beatles reunion for a Ringo album slated to be recorded in early 1981. According to Douglas, Lennon had told him both he and Paul McCartney had signed on to the album and each had written original songs for Ringo. Lennon’s songs, “Stepping Out” and “Nobody Told Me” instead appeared on Lennon’s posthumous album, Milk and Honey.